Hazardous Waste

March reporting deadlines are still on the horizon. While you still have time, watch our uploaded January webinar and review our slides to assist in your first round of reporting. While you’re still finalizing your March reports, be mindful of the July 1st TRI and P2 Annual Progress Report just around the corner. We will host a live lunchtime webinar on March 28th to help you prepare for report requirements, report submittal and best methods for reducing waste and TRI releases. Texas’ Waste Reduction Policy Act of 1991 was adopted to prevent pollution in Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) adopted the corresponding rule under 30 TAC 335 Subchapter Q, which requires small and large quantity generators of hazardous waste and TRI reporters to prepare a five-year P2 Plan and submit an Executive Summary of the plan to TCEQ. Large quantity generators and TRI reporters are also requiredRead More

The Veterans Administration (VA) contracted with W&M Environmental through it's GSA Schedule Contract to review the Pharmacy Waste Program of the Dallas VA Hospital. Pharmacy waste is a growing problem in the US and proactive organizations, such as the VA, have begun to implement programs to eliminate improper disposal of hazardous pharmaceuticals. W&M reviewed the current plans and processes and developed an implementation plan that meets the national VA and EPA directives, while at the same time saving the Dallas VA hospital a significant amount of money in disposal costs.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. pleaded guilty today in cases filed by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco to six counts of violating the Clean Water Act by illegally handling and disposing of hazardous materials at its retail stores across the United States. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company also pleaded guilty today in Kansas City, Mo., to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by failing to properly handle pesticides that had been returned by customers at its stores across the country. As a result of the three criminal cases brought by the Justice Department, as well as a related civil case filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wal-Mart will pay approximately $81.6 million for its unlawful conduct. Coupled with previous actions brought by the states of California and Missouri for the same conduct, Wal-Mart will pay a combined total of more than $110 million to resolveRead More

EPA conducted a survey to evaluate compliance with RCRA Hazardous Waste determination and has recently released the results of that study and we wanted to share key information with you. EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C regulations are designed as a cradle-to-grave system to ensure proper hazardous waste (HW) management and thereby protect human health and the environment. RCRA’s HW determination regulations (40 CFR 262.11), require entities that generate waste to determine if it is a HW. The average non-compliance rate with RCRA HW determination regulations across the United States is 34 percent, based on an analysis of HW determination violations identified during EPA or EPA-contractor led comprehensive evaluation investigations recorded in RCRAInfo over the last 10 years. The following five sectors have the highest HW determination non-compliance rates: 1. Printed circuit board manufacturing 2. Copper foundries 3. Hospitals 4. Colleges, universities, and professional schools 5. Fabricated structural metal manufacturingRead More